Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2009-10: Santeri Saari played one game for Jokerit’s U18 team and was part of the U16 team that won the Finnish championship. He had no points or penalty minutes in his only U18 game. Saari scored 3 goals with 14 assists in 31 regular season games and had 5 assists in 12 U16 playoff games.

2010-11: Saari played three games for Jokerit’s U20 team as a 16-year old, spending most of the season with the club’s U18 squad, and played for Finland’s U17 team in the 2011 Europe Youth Olympic Festival and World Hockey Challenge tournaments. He was +1 with no points and 2 penalty minutes in U20 play. Saari had 1 assist with 24 penalty minutes in 14 regular season games for the Jokerit U18 team and had 2 assists and 4 penalty minutes in nine playoff games. Skating in eight U17 games for Finland he had no points nor penalty minutes.

2011-12: Saari played 13 games for Jokerit in Finland’s U20 SM-Liiga and was one of the top scorers from his defense spot with the club’s U18 team. He had 2 goals and 2 assists and was +1 with 10 penalty minutes in U20 play. Saari scored 7 goals with 17 assists in 33 games for the Jokerit U18 team. Jokerit captured the U18 championship. Saari scored 3 goals with 2 assists and had 2 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games. He skated in 11 games for Finland’s U20 and U18 teams but did not participate in the World Junior Championships at either level.

2012-13: Saari made his SM-Liiga debut, appearing in two games for Jokerit, and played in Finland’s second league, Mestis, with Kiekko-Vantaa. He played most of the season with the Jokerit U20 team. He was +1 with no points nor penalty minutes, averaging 11:37 minutes of ice time in his two games for Jokerit. He had no points and was +1 with 6 penalty minutes in seven games for Kiekko-Vantaa. Saari was the third-leading scorer for Jokerit’s U20 team, scoring 5 goals with a team-high 18 assists in 46 games, and was -5 with 34 penalty minutes. Jokerit finished 12th in the 16-team U20 SM-Liiga. Ranked 116th amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings Saari was selected by St. Louis in the sixth round (173rd overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

2013-14: Saari played 25 games for Kiekko-Vantaa on loan to the Mestis club from Jokerit and skated for the Jokerit U20 team. He scored 1 goal and was plus-2 with 12 penalty minutes in Mestis play. In seven games for the Jokerit U20 team he scored 1 goal with 5 assists and was minus-5 with four penalty minutes. Saari played five games with the Finland U20 team, finishing with no points and 4 penalty minutes, but was not part of the gold medal-winning team in Stockholm.

Talent Analysis

Saari is a tall defenseman who moves well for his size and is strong on his skates. He understands the game well and is strong at making a first-pass to start the transition. His shot is average but he plays well in all three zones and is willing to join the offensive rush. He is still developing but has a nice all-around game.

Future

Saari is still in Europe — starting the season with Jokerit in it's first KHL season in 2014-15 before being loaned to BIK Karlskoga in Sweden's second league, AllSvenskan. In February 2015 he returned to Finland and is now with HPK Hameenlinna in Liiga. He has yet to sign an entry-level contract with St. Louis and would re-enter the 2015 NHL Draft if not signed by June 2015. The 20-year-old was not quite ready for the fast pace and high skill level of the KHL and was a victim of the numbers game with Jokerit. Long-term he projects as a solid second or third pairing defender with the ability to contribute on the offensive end.

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Photo: St. Louis Blues third-round pick Jake Walman’s three assists against Denver helped his Providence team into the Frozen Four. (courtesy of Richard T. Gagnon/Getty Images)

The St. Louis Blues have never shied away from drafting at the NCAA and European level and continue to find success through the NHL Entry Draft. While some of their college prospects will be making their jump to the pros very soon, the Blues have found a way to replenish their pool of NCAA players for the near future.